Spikes
right|160px The spikes are a highly intelligent space-borne species that in their natural state move amongst the stars, unfortunately when they live upon a planets surface these beings must function radically different to survive. Biology In their natural state they feed off of dying stars. Although highly intelligent their physiology remains relatively primitive, their bodies consist primarily of an amorphous ball of cytoplasm protected by a thin outer plasma wall. They have few internal organs, the most important being their complex brain-like nucleus. 400px|center The species possess a highly evolved nucleus-brain and is fully sapient, capable of verbal language (as well as chemming). Although they seem to lack a central nervous system, the Spikes exhibit total control over their cytoplasm, able to create tentacle-like extensions for mobility and manipulation of tools. If necessary, Spikes can pull themselves into shapes approximating the forms of other creatures in order to operate weapons or vehicles, although it is very stressful for them to hold these shapes for extended periods of time. Planetary Spikes When they accidentally find their way to a planets surface they must become voracious predatory parasites to survive. Breeding, eating, and growing in vast numbers. In this state they require massive amounts of organic material to survive and reproduce, as well as needing to infect and mutate hosts to survive. they envelop and consume any organic matter with which they come into contact. When in the vicinity of a suitable biological host organism, a Spike extends a dagger-like psuedopod used to infect its victim. Once one of these pseudopods pierces the host organism's skin, Spike DNA is introduced into the victim's body. In a process that can take place in mere seconds, the host organism exhibits uncharacteristic behavior, slurred speech, and joint deformity as the Spike DNA integrates into the DNA of the host cell chromosomes. The victim suffers from spinal cord breakdown and/or otehr severe neurological disorders as the fully-integrated spike DNA replicates along with the host organism's cell genome. Ultimately, the host organism is rendered brain dead, its body becoming completely gelatinous as the bones and cartilage are dissolved into the spikes cytoplasm. At this point, the Spike DN has taken over complete control of the host organism's nervous system and bodily functions. Culture History Much of the history of the Spikes prior to their arrival on Sakaar remains a mystery, it is known that they lived in the depths of space minding their own business. The Spikes first arrived on Sakaar in the year 504 post. When their armada of enormous spike-shaped vessels first darkened the skies above Kumar Province and launched a devastating attack upon the provinces outlying cities, the Imperials once opposed to the Father Emperor immediately toned down their anti-empire rhetoric and looked to their leader for guidance in this time of crisis. It soon became apparent that these strange new aliens arrived on sakaar to eat, and tended to regard humanoids on the planet as food rather than sentient organisms. The father emperor promprlty declared war on these "Spikes," named for the shape of their terrifying vehicles and the dagger0like pseudopods with which they infected their victims. Minor skirmishes erupted across the empire as new Spike armadas entered Sakaar's atmosphere everyday. After a costly, decades-long war, the Father Emperor eventually forced the few spike survivors to enter oneo f their own warships, which imperial scientists had reconfigured to take the Soikes into permanent exile on Sabyr, Sakaar's broken moon. With their ships and technology destroyed, it was assumeed that the spikes would be stranded on Sabyr forever. Notes *In the animated film the spikes role is reduced considerably. Category:Races